Navigational instrument



Aug. 22, 1950 G. REBER NAVIGATIONAL INSTRUMENT 6 Sheefs-Sheet 1 Filed March 17, 1945 Aug. 22, 1950 G. REBER 2,519,603

NAVIGATIONAL INSTRUMENT Filed March 17, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 22, 1950 G. REBER 2,519,603

NAVIGATIONAL INSTRUMENT Filed March 17, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 g 22, 1950 REBER 2,519,603

' NAVIGATIONAL INSTRUMENT Filed March 17, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 5 G. REBER NAVIGATIONAL INSTRUMENT Aug. 22, 1950 6 Shee'ts-Sheet 5 275910 Filed March 1'7, 1945 flrzyle Gm ,5} KM;

Aug. '22, 1950 G. REBER NAVIGATIONAL INSTRUMENT Filed March 17, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Aug. 22, 1950 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE NAVIGATIONAL INSTRUMENT GroteReber, Wheaten, Ill.

Application March17, 1945, Serial No. 583,236:

11 Claims. (01. 250--33.63)

This; invention, relates to ainavigationalzinstrurnenuand more particularly to means'for determining the altitude and azimuth of, a radiating celestia'lbody, or either of said-- angular positions, withrespect to an observers position,

when said, body isabove1thehorizonbut obsoured -fromview by atmosphericzconditions.

One feature of thisinvention is that it makes use of f electro-magnetic waves of radio frequency emanatingfrom the celestial body for determinations of: position; anotherfeature of this invention is that it enables accurate determination of the angularposition of a known: celestial body, as the altitude and azimuth of the sun, and thus determinationofv the observeris position, under atmospheric; conditions which. have heretofore renderedna navigational. sighifimpossible; yet another featurenof this invention is that the collector-means used'for: picking up the electro-magnetic waves emanating from such" a body not only isdirectional, butyalso is adapted to have its resolving? power-varied, to varythe width of itsacceptance pattern, so: that: the general position ot'the-celestial bodyrnay first be determined with ease: and thereafter its exact;

position determined with accuracy; and still another; feature of this invention is that itis adapted to workat frequencies verysuitable for penetration of fog and other atmosphericconditions which absorb and prevent the passage of light, and the frequencies above those wherein any substantial amountof terrestrial interferonce, or any deviation of the waves from a straight line of travel, would be encountered.

Other features and advantages of. this invention will be apparent fromthe following specification and the drawings, in which:

Figure l. is a view, principally in side elevation but partly in section, of ,one' particular embodiment of my invention mounted inoperative position on a ship; Figure Z istafront'elevational view of the panel of the control equipmentrportion of. my invention; Figure 3.-is a side elevational view of the collector means andtmounting therefor; Figure lis a fragmentary detail sectional view. along the, lines-4 of Figure 3-; Figure 5 is, a fragmentary detail sectional view along the line 5f-5 of Figure 3; Fig-ure 6 is a rear elevational view of the apparatus shown in Figure3; the apparatus shown in Figure 6; Figure 8 enlarged detail View, principally in section and partly broken away, along the line S% of Figure '7; Figure 9 is a front'elevational view of the antenna and. its enclosure Figure 10 is a verti- Figure 7 is ,arfrontelevational view of cal sectional view along the line Illa-l8 ofaEigure- 9; Figure 11, is a representative response curve. of the indicating means during use ofimy invention; .and Figure 12 is a circuit diagram'of oneforrn of amplifying and indicating circuit which may beused. as part of an embodiment-of my invention.

Where. an airplane ora ship is in sight of known territory, repeated use of check points may bemade and navigation is relatively easy. Where a ship or plane is out of sight of land, however, approximate position may be known from dead reckoning,- but accurate determinationof position to compensate for drift is possible only when; a sight may be taken on some celestial body. It has long been common to take suchisights witha sextant, sighting on the sun during the day and on a starduring the night. When the time: of observation is accurately known, asby: useof-achronometer, the altitude and azimuth of the observed celestial bodyenable the observer. byuse of nautical almanacs andtables, or; by calculation or both, to determine hisrlatitude and longitude on the earths surface with a considerable-degree of accuracy.

Suchdeterminations of position, however, are impossible-when the sky is blotted out byfog, rain, heavy clouds, or anysuch obscuring atmospheric condition. Under "such conditions a ship may-gofor-several days with no knowledge of itsposition, other than that determined by dead reckoning andbe considerably off its course. Some other workers in-the field of navigatinginstruments have heretofore endeavored to solve the problem thius presented by measuring solar heat reaching the-earths surface by sensitive thermocouples, bolometersand the like, but none-of these methods have been suficiently accurate to receive commercial acceptance;

I-have discovered'that certain celestial bodies radiate electro-mag-netic-energy over a wide frequency band; which emanations I have sometimes: heretofore-termedcosmic static. While thefrequeneylimits'of this radiation are: not now fully known, Ihave; found that it exis s in readily measurable quantities in which are generallytermed the ultra-high frequencies, as I have-made measurements in the neighborhood of lfio megacycles persecond, and in the neighborhood of- 80 -megacycles per second, the freouency= acceptance of the equipment in both casesbeing inthe neighborhood of an 8 megacycle band width'with the named frequency at thecenter of such'band, but with every effort being made to avoid: sharp peaking of the response curve at the median frequency. My experiments indicate that the electro-magnetic waves used for determinations of the positions of a celestial body should have frequencies at least above 100 megacycles; and theoretical cons derations indicate that the frequencies should preferably be above 1,000 megacycles but below 300,000 megacycles, as at and above this latter frequency the wave lengths become 'so short that absorption of the energy by dust and water droplets in the air would be so great as to negative successful operation. At present, however, the upper range of the frequencies to be used is limited only by the equipment avai1- able.

My work on cosmic static has indicated the sun to be a sufiiciently rich source of electromagnetic waves of frequencies above 100 megacycles to enable its angular positions at any given time with respect to an observers location 'on the earths surface to be accurately determined by appropriate equipment of the kind which I am here disclosing and claiming. At night, when the sun is not above the horizon, a sight may be taken on some other celestial body radiating similar energy. Certain constellations, particularly Sagittarius, Cygnus, Cassiopeiae and Canis Major provide radiation centers of sufiicient intensity for such purposes, since dead reckoning and a nautical almanac enab es sufficiently approximate determination of the positions of these constellations to enable the observer to know which one is being picked up by his apparatus at a particular time. When a radiating celestial body is spoken of hereinafter, it will be understood that this word is intended broadly enough to cover any aggregation of material in the heavens, no matter how dispersed, providing a relatively localized source of such emanations at a higher intensity level than that existing in surrounding portions of the sky; that is, I intend the word body broadly enough to cover not on y the sun, but also any other localized source of electro-magnetic radiation, as areas in certain constellations, or even bodies from which such energy be reflected rather than emanated, as the moon. Certain spiral nebula such as the large one in Andromeda provide useful point sources at night. It the reader desires further amplification with res ect to such cosmic ener y, as distinguishedfrom the apparatus particularly illustrated and described herein, reference may be had to my pa er entitled Cosmic Static in vol. 100, No. 3 (Nov. 19%) of t e Astrophysical Journal, and to other of my earlier papers to which reference is made in the above-mentioned paper.

My invention, to first describe it in general, com rises co lector means, for electrmmagnetic waves having directional characteristics and so constructed and arranged as to be ca able of having its resolving power varied in at least one plane; a mounting for the collector means so arranged as to enable movement thereof about at least one axis, preferably about horizontal and vertical axes; means for amplifying the energy picked up by the collector means; and

means for indicating the relative amplitude of such energy at'different positions of the collector means as it is moved about one of said axes. With this apparatus I sweep the sky in the general direction in which I expect to find the radiating ce estial body, as the sun, with the collector means adjusted to have a low resolving power or wide acceptance pattern in at least one plane.

Movement of the collector means direction across the line of propagation of electro-magnetic radiation (the sight line of the sun, for example) causes the indicated energy amplitude to rise to a peak and then drop ofi again. The direction in which the collector means is pointed at the center of this energy amplitude curve then provides an indication of one of the angular positions to be determined, the azimuth if the sky was being swept by movement of the collector means about a vertical axis, the altitude if the sky was being swept by collector means about a horizontal axis. In connection with each of these operations, the resolving power of the collector means is preferably increased to provide a narrow acceptance pattern and the locating step repeated more accurately to determine the angular position of the body being sighted. From the azimuth of the sun, time being accurately known from a chronometer and the appropriate astronomical tables and calculations being used, longitude may be determined; and from the altitude of the sun, appropriate tables and calculations again being used, the latitude may be determined. That is, equipment of the kind I am here disclosin can be employed, even on a day when it is pouring rain or solidly clouded over, to give angular positions similar to those determined by a sextant when celestial bodies are clearly visible, and navigational computations may thereafter be made in conventional manner.

There are several difierent types of collector means for electro-magnetic energy which have directional characteristics and which are capable of having their resolving power varied, and I am using the words collector means in a sense broad enough to cover any of these various forms. In my article in the Astrophysical Journal mentioned above I illustrate and describe a collector means comprising a sheet metal mirror of approximately 31 feet diameter and 20 feet focal length, with the antenna means being located in a drum at or near the focal point. In that form the resolving power of the collector means is varied by moving the drum toward or away 7 from the mirror, to bring the antenna accurately to the focal point or to position it somewhat away from the focal point. Similarly a so-called antenna array or a plurality of dipole antennas may be used to secure the directional effects with phase relationships between the currents in the various wires being changed to vary the resolving power of the collector. For use on shipboard, however, where I anticipate the greatest use of my navigational instrument, a horn type collector means is capable of meeting the need heretofore specified and has the advantages of being relatively small and rugged. Accordingly, while my invention is much broader than the particular form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, I show and will hereafter limit my description to an instrument embodying my invention comprising a horn type collector adapted to be mounted on some unobstructed place where the sky can be readily swept, with control and indicating means remotetherefrom and adapted to be located in some placemore convenient for the operator. 7,

Referring now more particularly to the specific embodiment of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the collector means is here identified in general as A. This comprises a horn portion identified in general as A, to provide directional efiect and to enable varicomprising diverging frame members ationofsthe resolving-power,- as -.-will behereafter i more-fully explained: andaal conversion portion A wherein the e1ectro-magneticwaves are converted into voltagevariationsinan. antenna. This-collector means is'here shown as mounted in some elevated position on. a boat-where; the sky may be swept withoutobstruction, asonthe roof: IOaobthe pilot'housel theemountingi being bytayoke and e'gimb a1 arrangement-enabling,pivot-ing movement oi the-collector means "A-xaround horizontal and. vertical axes;

In order @to maintain the axes horizontal and vertical, the yoke and gimbal mountingis stabilized by a. control illustrated or described here; If.it.is desired to 1 supplement the present disclosure: with respect to such gyroscopeand the controlstheretor, reference may be hadto issued-patents insuch field, as for example Patent 1,942,737" of: January 9, 1934.

In the particular embodiment: of my. in-. vention illustrated in Figural; alunit'C insome sheltered: place convenient; for the operator, as

on-a table in the pilot house, may include a control and indicating panel, control equipment, at least part-f the amplifying.- means, and thelike, connection between this unit and the converter portion of 'the collector means beingcompleted through the flexible cable D;-

Referring now more particularly to Figures 3e10, the collector means shown willtberdescribed in'zmore detail. The horn includes .a rigid-frame I lat-d, front transverse frame and'guide members l2w-d, rear transverse members =l 3a-.d :and intermediate transverse bracing and mounting-members! M d.

' This framework is pivotallyrnounted on the arms lEaan-d ib of a yoke,- trunnions 16a and IE1) rigidlyextending from theframe members- [db and; Hid being rotatabl Journalled: in appropriatebearings in the-ends of the arms,-

l5a and l5b'of the yoke. In order-:to-provide for movement of the frama and thus ofthe-collector means A about the horizontal axisprovided by thetrunnions l6 -(assumingthe yoke to bemaintainedvertical by the gyroscopemounting; as is the case), I mount a worm wheel or-gear i7 rigidly on the outer end of th'e trunnion 16d and provide in mesh there-with a worm 83: adapted to be driven by the electric motor l9 remotely-centrolled-from the unit C. Thisis; of cou-rse, a

reversible motor; andopeiwa-tionthereof in-one direction-causes elevation of the forwarci'cnd-of the horn while operation of. this: motor inthe otherend causes-depressingthereof;-

The worm IB 'and motor !9 are; of course, mounted on-appropriate. brackets on: mounting; means fixedly carried by the yoke arm [5a. The yoke.l5:1'is

itself pivotally movable about-a vertical axis, being mounted rigidly on the upper table-portion 20a. rotatable onthe lower table: portion 291).: A worm wheel 2! is fixedly and, nonarotata-bly mounted as onvalce-ntral stud extendingrup from the table portion 2th through a. central opening in--athe table portion 284.1, andcis; adaptedw be respectively,

movement about is vertical axis hel vcntsirle portion 20b, ascan be'more fully understood by referring to the above-mentioned patent if desired, is mounted, together with its; stabilizing gyroscope, in agimbal arrangement in turn carried. by mounting feet, Mfastened to the surface I 0:

The horn has truncated triangular sheetmetal top, bottom and side portions; or flaps 25a-d. These wall. portions or flaps are pivotally mounted "in the frame members l3 at their back ends, the side flaps 25b and 25d being movable about vertical axes (speaking with respect to-the position of the parts as shown in the drawings) coinciding. with-the planes of the frame members I31) and led, respectively; and the top and bottom. flaps aremovable about horizontal, axes in the planes of the frame members l3aand I30. That is, as may be best seen; in Figure 5, the flap 25a,is pivotally mounted atgits back end, as by the pin 25a journalled in the top of the frame-member I32); and the forward ends of these flaps may be moved closer together or farther apart, asmay be best 'seenin Figure 3; In their widest open position the-flapsor wall portions of the horn here identified as-25a and 250 would lie in the planes of, the frame members Nb and He, whereas when they would be moved somewhat closer together they mightlie in the positions-illustrated in dotted lines in-such Figure 3; Similiarly, when the flaps 25a, and 250 are in wide open position, the sidefiaps 25b and Z5d may be moved in toward each other if desired to change the. resolving power-ina horizontal plane. At first glance one might think that when the flaps are widest apart, as illustrated, the resolving power would be the lowest andthe acceptance pattern the widest in-both horizontal and vertical planes; but such is not the case. The resolving power of the horn used in the collector means here disclosed is a-function of the number of wave lengths spacing, at the front end of the horn (assuming the-length of the horn to be greater thanthe width at its mouth), and the greater the number of wave lengths at the opening the higher the resolving power. That is, when the horn has :allof its flaps n ged y a worm 22- dapt dtu e-rotat d;bye7 z.

wide open its resolving power would be greatest and its acceptance pattern narrowest in both horizontal and vertical planes. When the top and bottom flaps 25a and 25c are brought closer together, as illustrated in dotted lines in-Figure 3, the resolving power would be decreased and the acceptance-pattern would be broader in a vertical plane. The resolving power in this plane would be at its lowest when the flaps -25a and 250 were brought to parallel relationship.

It is desirable to be able to open and close either pair of flaps selectively from some remote point, as the unit C in the pilot housing, and in order to provided for this I employ flap moving means at the front end of the horn, this means including a motor 21 for moving the side flaps toward and away from each other, and a motor 23 for moving the top and bottom flaps toward and away from each other. While the reference numerals 2'! and 28216 for convenience appliedto the motor'housing in figures suchas 3* and '7, reference .to Figure 8 will show that these housings contain-not-onlythe-motor per se but-also gearing connected to the non-metallic cross shafts here identifiedas 29 and 39; which cross shaftsmay beBakelite rods. These serveto-synchroni-ze connections to; threaded flap moving :1 shafts; on opposite sides-.ofthe fronhframewwk.

7 That is, referring more particularly to Figure 7, the motor 26 rotates threaded shafts 3m and Jill) on its side of the front portion of the frame, and corresponding threaded shafts 32a and 321) on the opposite side. These threaded shafts are connected to their respective driving gear box arrangements by universal joints, as the universal joints 35c and 31b for the shafts 3la and 3H) respectively, and are threaded into blocks connected to pins mounted on the front end of the flaps' at each side thereof and projecting through arcuate slots in the adjacent front frame members [2. That is, as may be best seen in Figure 4,

the driving connection between the threaded shaft Sla and the adjacent side of the flap 25a is made by threading the shaft am into a block 33 which is in turn pivotally connected to a pin '3 on one side of the forward end of the flap 25a,

this pin projecting through an arcuate slot I2b' in the frame member I21). The threaded shafts,

' as the shaft 3 l a, have what may be termed a twopoint mounting, one point being at the universal joint connection and the other point being determined by the position of the block 33 as the pin 34 moves in the arcuate slot [217, the threaded shaft Sia assuming a position or line determined by these two points and providing driving connection for the flaps despite the arcuate movement of the front ends thereof.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 9 and 10, it will be seen that the converter means at the back end or throat of the horn comprises an enclosure 35 having a hemispherical portion 36a and a cylindrical portion 36b. The cylindrical portion should have a diameter approxi mately that of the throat of the horn, and the dimensions of these parts, and of the hemispherical part 3861. of the enclosure, are determined by the wave lengths for which the apparatus is designed. I have found that when using a conical A antenna arrangement as illustrated, best results are attained by having the radius of the hemispherical housing portion and cylindrical housing portion multiples, preferably even multiples,

of'a fraction slightly more than a quarter of the wave length. One quite satisfactory value for the radius of the hemisphere shown in Figure is .533 of the median wave length of the band for which the equipment is designed. The antenna portions Sid and 3117 are here shown as 45 cones of revolution with straight sides, although some arcing of the sides, either in or out, may be sometimes used to vary the impedance characteristics of the antenna system. It will be understood, of course, that these antenna parts or cones are of metal, and that the outer enclosure 35 is also comprised of metal. The whole structure is welded or soldered together to give good electrical conductivity. The potential developed by -electro-magnetic energy input builds up to a maximum at the tips of the cones, with the maximum voltage differential existing between such tips. I have here shown the energy take-off from the tips of the antenna cones as being .through a coaxial cable here shown as comprising 'the inner conductor 38a and the outer conductor the collector means in a housing here identified as 39 in Figures 1, 3 and 6. For convenience of cator means thereabove.

opened or closed.

illustration, the circuit diagram of Figure 12 is shown as though the entire amplifier were in one place, but it will be understood that one or more stages of this amplifier may be contained in the housing 39 and the remainder contained in the unit C, signal and power connections being completed through the cable D.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 1 and 2', the general operation of the system will be described. Figure 2 comprises a view of the control panel of the unit C, and this will first be briefly described. In the center of the upper portion of the panel is a response meter 4|, which may be a milliammeter. To the left of this is the altitude control means, indicated in general as 42, and the altitude-indicating means, indicated in general as 43. The altitude control 42 comprises a handwheel 42a which may be in direct drive relation or, by operation of shift means 42b, in Vernier drive relation to the shaft of a Selsyn control generator within the unit C, this enerator being connected to and adapted to effect rotation of the drive motor I9, the motors l9 and 23 controlling the horizontal and vertical movement of the collector means preferably being of the Selsyn type. The indicating means 43 associated with the control means 42 is preferably of the mechanical odometer type direct connected to the shaft of the Selsyn control motor and comprising a first section 43a reading in degrees of altitude, a second section 43?: reading in minutes, and a third section 430 reading in seconds. Rotation of the handwheel 42a, either by its rim or by the crank handle 42a, enables the horn to be rotated about a horizontal axis, with indication of the exact position of the horn being provided by the indi- Correspondin manual operating and indicating means for the azimuth are provided on the other side of the response meter, here being identified as the operating means 44 and indicating means 45. This latter means provides controlled and indicated movement of the collector means about its vertical axis. The meter isshown as having zero set and deflec tion controls 46 and 4! associated therewith,'the zero set control enabling compensation for tube noise 'or shot effect and similar random energy always present, and the deflection control enabling the energy peak to be kept within good readable limits on the scale of the response meter 4|.

Assuming a sight is to be taken on the sun on a day when a solid cloud bank or other atmospheric conditions prevent view thereof, the apparatus would be turned on by pushing the on button 43, subsequent deenergization of the apparatus being effected by an off button 49. With the apparatus on, inspection of the pilot lights Etc-c and 5la-c at the sides of the control panel would indicate Whether the horn walls were fully In the particular arrangement illustrated, the pilot light Etc. is green, and if it is lit it indicates that the flaps 25a and 250 'are fully open; the pilot light Elllb is yellow, and if it is lit it indicates that the motor 28 is operating; and the pilot light 560 is red, and if it is lit it indicates the flaps 25a and 250 to be fully closed. The pilot lights 5! on the other side of the panel aresimilarly colored and similarly arranged to provide corresponding indications with respect to the side flaps 25b and 25d. If the altitude is to be first determined and the green pilot light 50a is on, the button 52 might be pushed to start operation of the motor 28 in a direction moving the flaps 25a and 250 to closest together or parallel relation, a limit switch turning off the motor and lighting the red pilot light 500 when this condition "is attained. The' aximuth control 44 would then be manipulated to point the horn in the general vertical plane Occupied by the sun, as this would be known in-general from the direction of the ship and the time of day, and would generally be to the 'southwhen the ship is in the northern hemisphere. The altitude controldZ would then be'manipulated indirect drive to swing the collector means up and down about its horizontal axis, and'as the direction'of the collector means crossed the sun'theresponse meter ll would provide a direction-amplitude response as illustrated by the curve of Figure 11, wherein the horizontal axis represents angular movement (about a horizontal axis) of the collector means and the vertical axis represents amplitude of energy as indicatedby the response meter M. The approximate angular altitude of the sun having been determined in direct drive, the shaft 4212 would be operated to provide-a Vernier drive, the button 53 "pushed to actuate the motor 23 to move the flaps 25a and 250 to widest open position (greatest resolving power in a vertical plane) and the critical portion of theresponse curve worked over accurately to' determine the peak point, identified as A on the curve of'Figur'e 11, the Vertical angle of the collector means with respect to the horizontal being shown by the indicator means 43 at this poi-ht; If iterates to determine the precise peak oint of this amplitude curve inthis manner, the o perator mayirlariipulate the altitude control 42 to" determine the-points designated as B on the curve of Figure-11 at s'omepredetermined energy level on the steep-ly'dropping sides of the curve. If the angular'ihdications-at these two points B are then noted and averaged, a more "accurate determination "of the exact angle of altitude of the be possible than from a direct readingof themaximuin position of the needle of the response iiieter 4l,-as the tep part-o'f the response curve tends to berather fiat. A

I provide electrical interlock relay's so that, while the naps zea'anu 250 are in closest together or parallel position, the circuits foroper'ation of the side'fiaps 25b andZSdareinoperative and vice versa If'tl'ie azimuth of the sum is to be accuratelydetermined, however, the altitude ad justmerrtmay'be left at that corresponding to the-altitude-of the-sun and with the flaps 25a and 25c wideopen as indicated by illumination of the green pilot light 59a), the button 54 might be pushed to aetuateythe motor 2] and move the side flaps together to-a point of lowest resolving power. The aximuth control 44 could then be operated to the-point where the maximum energy response was indicated on the meter Al. The button 55 would then lie-pushed to open the flaps 25b-and 25d through operation of theme-tor 2? to "their widest position (greatest resolvingpower), "and the azimuth control then moved to vernier drive and the critical portion of the response curve "worked over accurately to de termine the azimuth angle at a given'time, which time would, of course, be accurately determined from-a'chronometer. With the two angular positions of solar altitude and azimuth thus given, right ascension "and declination of the-sun taken from anauticalal-mana -and the time from a chronometerythe position of the-ship could then be-deter'minedin terms of latitude and longitude by-appropri'ate tabl'es'and computations. "It will be readily apparentthat-bytheuse of the navigational instrument "which "I have disclosed and am here-claiming, navigational sights m'ay be taken as often-as it is desired to checkposition, regardless of atmospheric conditions. Moreover, at radio wave lengths above megacycles, and preferably above-1,000 megacycles, the energy is capable of penetration of the worst type of absorption conditions presented by dust orwat er in the atmosphere,"and yet the lines of approach of the electro magnetic waves have optical accuracy in that they are 'not deviated from-a straight line by atmospheric conditions. Preliminary observations and experiments WhlChI have made from a known predetermined positicn on the earths surface indicate a high degree of accuracy of determination of the angular positions of a radiating celestial body such as the sun, so that there is approximately no deviation of its electrorriagnetic Waves by the Heaviside layer or any other lay'er or condition of the"at' mosphere.

The energy levelsare so low and the frequencies preferred in the practice of my invention so high that careful attention must be given to the design and construction of amplifiers for the received energy. V/hile-it'is by no'means the'only form of amplifying and indicating circuit which may be used, Figure 12 is a-circuit diagram of a'preferr'ed amplifying and "indicating arrangement adapted to take cnrgy=picked 'up by the collector means and give the desir d indication therefrom. Referringnow more particularly to this circuit diagram, the coneantenna portions 310; and 31?) are illustrated schematic-ally as antenna and ground, these being coupled (by the co-axial cable or other transmission line, inram tice) to a tuned circuit here shown as comprising the primary 59a of a radio frequency transformer having the enter tapped'se'condaryfi'ilb, this being capable of variation in some manner, as by movable powdered iron cores. With the circuit designed for a frequency of 480 megacycles, the primary 66a might have an inductance orooznin (microhenry) and be tuned by a shunt condenser fil of 55'mmf. (micromicrofarad). The center tap is connected to ground through an appropriate bias batteryyas for example 6 volts: and is here shown as connected to another open ended or balancing circuit. This comprises a radio frequency transformer having the second ary 62b and primary 62a. All three coils'ilb', 62a and 62?) might h'ave'an' fnductahce of about 50'? mh., for example, and the tondenser 63 might have 'a valueof 1.6 mmf. Energy is taken ofi from the two opposite ends of the coil 6% tothe signal grids of ap'air of'ti'iode tubes 65 and 65 arranged as a push-pull neutralized ain plifier stage. These tubes 64 and fifi'm'amior example, be tube type No. 955, and thevariable condensers 66 and 61 used forjneutralizing purposes should have a value in1the neighborhood of 1.6 mrnf, The output of this push pull stage is taken off through a tuned output circuit comprisingfth'e center tapped inductance 68a, which may be of .07 mh. tuned by a suitable core and paralleled by the inter-element capacity'of tubes'fi i andto provide a tuned circuit --f or operation at and around 480 megacycles, The center tap of the coilfiSa isconnectedto the plate supply source which may provide 250 volts, and is by-passed to ground through the condenser 10, which may have any appropriate value, as for example 250 mnif. The c'oil 68a forms the 'prirnaryof a radio frequency transformer having a secondary 681; also tuned to 480 megacycles. The coil'fifihiiiay again havea permeability tuned inductance "of .03 mh. and provide a single ended-input into the signal grid of a'tube 'lzhereillustrated as a-pentode as for example tube type No. 954. This tube would be arranged in the circuit in a manner appropriate to its characteristics, as for example being connected to the 250 volt plate supply, having a 3 volt negative bias on the signal grid, having a 100,000 ohm screen grid resistor 13, and 250 mmf; plate and screen grid by-pass condensers M and 15. The output may be delivered through a permeability tuned radio frequency transformer having a primary 16a and a secondary 16b, the latter being center tapped and connected to ground through a 250 mmf. con-denser 11. Again, for the frequency band chosen for operation of this system, the coils 15a and b might each have an inductance of .04 mh. While the circuit is shown as including only one single ended amplifying stage just described, it will be understood that this is merely for simplicity of illustration and that in practice there would be several of such stages in cascade. The capacities necessary to bring coils 60b, 02a, 68a, 68b, 10a and 1612 into tune are supplied by the interelectrode capacities of various tubes in question. Figure 12 shows the coils Silo-15b as lumped constant circuit elements for simplicity. Due to very small inductances involved it is. desirable to construct these elements from short sections of line in practice. For more detail on proportioning of such circuits see my article in Electronic Industries entitled Amplifiers on pages 89-92, April 1944.

The output of the radio frequency amplifying portion of the circuit just described is delivered to a detector or full wave rectifying stage here shown as comprising a special triple diode tube 80. The two anodes 30a and 801) are shown as connected to the opposite ends of the center tapped secondary coil 1%, to be alternately positive, so that a pulsating D. C. current appears in the lead 8! from the tied-together cathodes of the tube 80. This lead Si is connected, through .01- mf. condensers 82 and 83, to the cathodes of a pair of triode tubes 34 and 85 arranged in push pull. The signal grid of the tube 84 is connected to the center of the secondary coil 16b through a biasing arrangement comprising a potentiometer 85 energized by a low voltage battery 81, which may have a voltage as low as one volt. The signal grid of the tube 85 is connected to the third anode 800 of the tube 80,

a'condenser 88, which may have a capacity of 250 mmf., acting as a lay-pass to ground. Appropriate grid resistors 89 and 90 are connected between the grids and cathodes of the tubes 84 and 85, as for example with a resistance of 20,000 ohms each. Proper balancing of the tubes of this stage may be effected through variation of the point of connection of the resistor 91, which may have a value of 15,000 ohms, to the resistor 92, which may have a value of 5,000 ohms. The rotor of a split stator variable condenser 93 is grounded, this. condenser having one stator section connected to the plate lead of the tube 84 and the other to the plate lead of the tube 85. This condenser, for example, may have a capacity of about 20 mmf. when used in the circuit shown and with tubes of tube type No. SF?) in this stage, all of the values being given for such tubes.

The; plates of the tubes 84 and 85 are here shown as energized with an alternating current potential from the transformer having a primary 94a and a center tapped secondary 94b. The primary of this transformer may be connected to any convenient source of a frequency low enough to be amplified relatively stably in a conventional alternating current amplifier, as

of these coils might have an inductance of 25,000 mh. and be tuned by condensers $6 and 97 of a capacity of 0.1 mf., for example, for a 10,000 cycle frequency. One side of the primary coil 95a is connected to the cathode lead and the other side is connected to the center tap of the coil 90b. The 10,000 cycle output developed in the secondary 951) as a result of reception of a signal in the collector means is then passed through ah amplifier ikwhich may be a conventional resistance coupled amplifier designed for stable operation at 10,000 cycles per second, and delivered to the A. C. response meter ii. The amplifier 03 would include a potentiometer or similar volume control as the deflection control 4?, andany type of appropriate zero set control would be provided initially to bring the meter reading to zero. The plate transformer of the push-pull stage comprising the tubes 84 and 85 is preferably of the shielded type with a carefully balanced secondary, as it isimportant to keep the 10,000 cycle frequency out of the circuit except as a plate supply means.

Initial adjustment of the circuit constants is so made that the electron velocity potential effeet in the tube between the cathode and the anode 800 is equal to that between the cathode and the anodes 80a and 80b, so that in the absence of energy input to the rectifier means the tubes 84 and 85 are in balanced condition. Then the value of potentiometer 85 is adjusted exactly to balance any tube noise energy which may be coming through the circuit, particularly from the first stage. These adjustments place the circuit in condition such that it is ready to provide an indication of variations in energy as the collector means is moved about one or the other of its axes of motion. When electromagnetic energy from a celestial body reaches the collector means and is converted into alternating voltage by the antenna, this radio frequency voltage is amplified through the radio frequency portion of the circuit and rectified in the tube 80 to appear as a bias (or rather, a change in bias) on the grid of the tube 84. When both of these tubes 84 and 85 were in balance they did not develop any effective 10,000 0. p. s. current in the lead 8| because of the alternating potential applied to their plates, as with a properly balanced and shielded secondary 94b these waves were exactly equal and balanced each other out. Change in bias of the tube 84, however, causes it to operate at a different point on its characteristic curve (the tubes would preferably be operating in straight line portions of the characteristic curve) and this causes one of the tubes to pass more energy than the other. Accordingly, the pulsating D. C. current being passed through'the primary 9511 will have a higher value on one pulse, as for example when the tube 85 is conducting, than on the other pulse, and the resultant will be a wavewith a frequency component of 10,000 cycles. The amplitude of this component will be determined by the amount of signal energy reaching the collectormeans. This provides a very effective method of securing final amplification at a relatively low and stable frequency, yet with a response which is linearly related to the energy reaching the antenna portion of the collector An altermeansfthis linear "relationship being maintained by tne use'of diode detection and by operation ofth'e tubes and 85 on straight'li-ne p'ortions of their characteristic curves. This enables a rather rugged meterto be usedas'theresponse meter H, avoiding the necessity of extremely sensitive, and thus also extremely fragile response meter construction, as would be necessaryif an attempt were made to-provide the indication directly'from the rectified energ'yd'elivered by the tube 80.

While'l' hav'e shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changesytherefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The method of determining an angularposition of a radiating celestial bodyby the usedf' a directional collector, comprising: adjusting said collector to have awide receiving acceptancep'at tern; -nioving said collector about an axis while it -i's adjuste'd to have said wide acce tance pattern *and is receiving electro magnetic waves emanating from said celestial body; amplifying therecei'ved waves in a frequency band'inthe radiospectrum above one hundred magacycles; separately integrating s the voltages of two sub stantiallycontinuous spectra, one being there-- ceived waves and'the other being internal noise; indicating the difference between said integrations and detecting differences therebetween to movingit about said axis; and again amplifying ,4

the desired received energy and similarly -integrating voltages and indicating the difference therebetween more accurately to determine the direction of said collector when maximum energy is being received thereby.

2. The method of determining an angular position of a radiating celestial body by the use of a directional collector, comprising: adjusting said collector to have a wide receiving acceptance pattern; moving said collector about an axis while it is adjusted to have said wide acceptance pattern and is receiving electro-magnetic waves emanating from said celestial body; amplifying the received waves and actuating an indicator therefrom to determine the approximate direction of said collector when maximum desired energy is being received thereby; adjusting said collector to have a narrow receiving acceptance pattern and again moving it about said axis; and again amplifying the desired received energy and similarly actuating an indicator therefrom more accurately to determine the direction of said collector when maximum energy is being received thereby.

3. The method of determining the angular position of a radiating celestial body by the use of a directional collector, comprising: moving said collector about a vertical axis while it is receiving electro-magnetic waves emanating from said celestial body; amplifying the received waves in a frequency band in the radio spectrum above one hundred megacycles; separately integrating the voltages of tWo substantially continuous spectra, one being the received waves and the other being internal noise; indicating the difference between said integrations and detecting differences there- 14' betkveento dteimine the azimuth of sa'id' celestial -body when maximum desired energy is being received by'said collector; moving said collector about a horizontal ax'iswhile it is receiv ing electrofmagnetic waves emanating from said celestial body; amplifying the received waves in a frequency band in'the radio spectrum above one -lrfu'ndred -inega'cycles; separately "integrating the voltages of'two substantially continuous spectra, one'being the received waves and the other being -internal'nois'e'; and'in'dicating the difi'er'erice between-said integrations and detectirig differences therebetween to determine the elevation of said celestial 'body when maximum desired energy is being received by said collector.

in'g electfo niagnetic waves'emanating fro'm'said celestial-body; amplifying said received waves;

separately integrating the-voltages of two subhoi izontal axis'while it is'receivi'ng electromagnetic waves emanating from "saidcelestial may; amplifying said'received waves; separately int grating the voltages of two substantiallycom tinuo'usspectra, one-being the receivedwav'es and the other being internal noise; and indicating the difference between said integrations and detecting differences therebetweento' determine the new tidnof said celestial bod when maximum desired' e'nergy is being received by said collector.

5. The methodof'determining the angularposition ef =a rad'iating-celestial body by the use of a directionalcollector;comprising: moving said colle'torabout' a vertical "axis while it is receiving electro-magnetic waves emanating from said celestial body; amplifying said received waves and actuating an indicator therefrom to determine the azimuth of said celestial body when maximum desired energy is being received by said collector; moving said collector about a horizontal axis While it is receiving electromagnetic waves emanating from said celestial body; and amplifying said received waves and actuating an indicator therefrom to determine the elevation of said celestial body when maximum desired energy is being received by said collector.

6. Navigational apparatus of the character described for determining the altitude and azimuth of a radiating celestial body, including: a directional collector for receiving electro-magnetic waves having portions separately movable for separately varying the resolving power thereof in both horizontal and vertical planes; a mounting for said collector so constructed and arranged as to provide for movement thereof about horizontal and vertical axes; motor means for moving said collector about said axes; indicators for indicating the vertical and horizontal positions of said collector; an amplifier connected to said collector for amplifying electro-magnetic waves; means connected to said amplifier for separately integrating and detecting differences between the voltages of two substantially continuous spectra, one being the received waves and the other being internal noise; and an indicator for indicating the position of maximum radiation reception.

7. Navigational apparatus of the character described for determining the altitude and azimuth of a radiating celestial body, including: a direcstructed and arranged as to provide for movement thereof about horizontal and vertical axes entirely across said body; motor means for moving said collector about said axes; indicators for indicating the vertical and horizontal positions of said collector; an amplifier connected to said collector for amplifying electromagnetic waves; means connected to said amplifier for separately integrating and detecting dififerences between the voltages of two substantially continuous spectra, one being the received waves and the other being internal noise; and an indicator for indicating the position of maximum radiation reception.

8. Navigational apparatus of the character described for determining the altitude and azimuth of a radiating celestial body, including: a directional collector for receiving electro-magnetic waves having portions separately movable for separately varying the resolving power thereof in both horizontal and vertical planes; a mounting for said collector so constructed and arranged as to provide for movement thereof about horizontal and vertical axes; motor means for moving said collector about said axes; indicators for indicating the vertical and horizontal positions of said collector; an amplifier connected to said col-.

lector for amplifying electro-magnetic waves;

and an indicator connected to said amplifier for indicating the position of maximum radiation.

reception.

9. Apparatus of the character claimed in claim 7, wherein said collector comprises a metal horn, an enclosure at the throat thereof having the form of a section of a sphere, and conical dipole antenna members in said enclosure.

10. Apparatus of the character claimed in claim 8, wherein said collector comprises a metal horn having at least two opposite sides relatively Number movable with respect to each other, an enclosure 1' at the throat thereof having the form of a section of a sphere, and conical antenna means in said enclosure.

11. Apparatus of the character claimed in claim 7, wherein said collector comprises a metal horn, an enclosure at the throat thereof having the form of a section of a sphere of a radius comprising a multiple of .533 times the wave length for which the equipment is designed, and anten na means in said enclosure.

GROTE REBER.

REFERENCES CITED file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 1,769,100 Beal et al July 1, 1930 2,206,683 Wolfi July 2, 1940 2,231,929 Lyman Feb. 18, 1941 2,235,506 Schelkunofi Mar. 18, 1941 2,283,935 King May 26, 1942 2,304,446 Eaton Dec. 8, 1942 2,332,919 Kleen Oct. 26, 1943 2,361,956 Moseley Nov. 7, 1944 2,369,622 Toulon Feb. 13, 1945 2,410,831 Maybarduk Nov. 12, 1946 2,412,612 Godet Dec. 17, 1946 2,415,094 Hansen et al Feb. 4, 1947 2,419,556 Feldman Apr. 29, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 114,368 Australia Dec. 9, 1941 OTHER REFERENCES The Sectoral this action).

Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,519,603 August 22, 1950 GROTE REBER It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 12, line 9, for 0.1 mf. read .01 mf.;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read as corrected above, so that thesame may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiice.

Signed and sealed this 21st day of November, A. D. 1950.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Commissioner of Patents.

Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,519,603 August 22, 1950 GROTE REBER It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 12, line 9, for 0.1 Inf. read .01 mf.;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read as corrected above, so that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiice.

Signed and sealed this 21st day of November, A. D. 1950' THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Oommz'ssz'oner of Patents. 

